Brass bands from across the North East will be blowing their own trumpets from next weekend as part of this year’s South Tyneside Festival.
Performances will be held on Sunday afternoons throughout June, July and August at the open-air Amphitheatre in South Shields.
The brass band programme, which forms part of a wider three-month line-up organised by South Tyneside Council, will be opened by Westoe Brass Band next Sunday (5 June) at 2pm.
Durham Constabulary Band will perform on Sunday, 12 June, followed by the Bear Park and Esh Brass Band on19 June, the North East Concert Band on 26 June and the People’s Mission Silver Brass on 3 July. All concerts run from 2pm to 4pm and are free.
For the rest of the July the concerts will start slightly later to accommodate the Festival’s other free Sunday afternoon concerts at nearby Bents Park, including performances from stars such as Alexandra Burke, Tony Hadley, The Proclaimers and UB40.
This means that concerts by the Borough’s twin town of Wuppertal in Germany, Knapp Daneben, on 10 July, the Bright Street Big Band on 17 July, Craghead Colliery Band on 24 July and the NASUWT Concert band on 31 Julywill all run between 3.30pm and 5.30pm.
Concerts will run throughout August with music from Cockerton Prize Silver Band on 7 August, Dunston Silver Band on 14 August, Westoe Brass Band on 21 August and the NASUWT Concert Band on 28 August, with all concerts running between 2pm and 4pm.
Councillor Alan Kerr, Deputy Leader of South Tyneside Culture with responsibility for Culture and Leisure, said: “Brass bands are an important part of our heritage in the North East so it is wonderful to be able to showcase so many of them as part of our Summer Festival.
“These concerts, with their varied repertoire, will ensure there is something for music lovers of all ages to enjoy.”
For more information and full listings for the South Tyneside Festival 2016, which also includes a Maritime Mayhem-themed parade, Kids Fun Fest Parties and monthly craft markets, go to www.visitsouthtyneside.co.uksearch for South Tyneside Events on Facebook, follow STynesideEvents on Twitter or call the South Tyneside Visitor Information Centre on 0191 424 7788.